Mark Finn

A magnificent examination of the life and works of Texas fantasy author Robert E. Howard, Finn dispels myths and delves deep into the man's troubled personal life through extensive research. Howard's life in the tiny, West Texas town of Cross Plains come to vivid life under Finn's steady hand--Finn's passion for the subject matter is almost physical in its intensity.

This is a short review, but make no mistake, this is an engrossing book that will bring the reader a whole new appreciation for Howard and his wide range of works. Had Julie Phillips not published "James Tiptree Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon" in the same year, "Blood & Thunder: The Life & Art of Robert E. Howard" would have swept the genre's non-fiction awards. It's that good.… (meer)

I loved Finn’s biography. It was a major correction in terms of my view of REH, which derived from a hodge-podge of (1) introductions to Ace Editions of his stories (or, “versions” of his stories–considering, of course, how you view the Ace editions), (2) the “Swords and Scrolls” section of *The Savage Sword of Conan,* and (3)–slightly embarrassed by this–the film *The Whole Wide World.* Also, of course, I was enriched by the Del Rey editions and the journal and blog *The Cimmerian*

Reading Finn’s biography really helped me reframe Howard as a particularly “Texan” writer. To a large extent, interest in Howard’s psychology had been the source of interest for critics (I am thinking of Edmund Wilson’s horrible review of *Skull-face and Other Stories*). And so, focusing on his context is a good corrective; nevertheless, I think there’s payoff to consider both: context and psychology. Not that Finn disregards context but he does seem to be foregrounding it and downplaying Howard “as a character.”

Reading Finn’s book I get the sense that he is defending Howard’s–not sure how to say this better–”normalcy.” There is a thread of “he wasn’t as crazy as de Camp said he was!” running through that biography.

I’m sure that de Camp spetacularized Howard’s psychology (haven’t read his biography), and yet–and yet! Howard did commit suicide… he was a prize fighter when boxing was illegal… he dressed up in various costumes and walked around his town. He wasn’t crazy–but he wasn’t just another roughneck wandering around Cross Plains.

I mean no disrespect when I say this, but–this is just me reading between the lines of the “text” that his life has become–he was mentally “unique.”

His psychological uniqueness, in connection with his context, are the source of the fiction we love.

But still–Finn’s biography WAS GREAT! I, however, am invested with the personality of artistic genius, which I always think is slightly off-kilter, at odds with society and context. It’s that dissonance–between who the artist is and *where* and *when* they are–that is the source of good fiction.… (meer)